Machine for teaching foreign languages

ABSTRACT

A machine for teaching foreign languages, comprising a multichannel magnetic sound recorder with a tape loop carrying pre-recorded fragments of speech and control signals, and students&#39;&#39; terminals connectable to the channels of said magnetic sound recorder to synthesize various phrases from the prerecorded speech fragments, each of said terminals comprising: an acoustic output unit; a phrase shaper incorporating multiple switches; a pause shaper to substitute pauses for various combinations of the fragments of a phrase, said pause shaper being connected to said phrase shaper; a shaper unit for automatic written translation of the oral speech being synthesized, said unit being connected to the phrase shaper and to the pause shaper. The machine enables students to adapt to their personal peculiarities in a versatile manner the form, content and degree of difficulty of the oral exercises being performed.

United States Patent Shenshev [54] MACHINE FOR TEACHING FOREIGNLANGUAGES [721' Inventor: Leonid Valdimirovich Shenshev, prospekt, 88,Korpus 3, kv. I26, Moscow, Leninsky, USSR. [22 Filed: Nov. 4, 1970 {21]Appl. N0.: 86,859

[52] US. Cl. ..35/35 C [51] Int. Cl. ..G09b 5/04 ['58] Field0I-Searcl1..35/35 C; 179/1 SA, 1 SB, 1 VS, 179/1002 MD, 100.2 Z

' [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,020,360 2/1962 Gratianet a1. ..35/35 C X 3,141,069 7/1964 Withey ..179/1 SA X 3,175,038 3/1965Mauch ..179/l SA 3,269,033 8/1966 Redfield et a1 ..35/35 C 3,287,83011/1966 Fleury et a1. ..35/35 C [151 3,73,602 [451 Nov.21,l9'72 PrimaryExaminer-Wm. H. Grieb Attorney-Holman & Stern [5 7] ABSTRACT A machinefor teaching foreign languages, comprising a multichannel magnetic soundrecorder with a tape loop carrying pre-recorded fragments of speech andcontrol signals, and students terminals connectable to the channels ofsaid magnetic sound recorder to synthesize various phrases from thepre-recorded speech fragments, each of said terminals comprising: anacoustic output unit; a phrase shaper incorporating multiple switches; apause shaper to substitute pauses for various combinations of thefragments of a phrase, said pause shaper being connected to said phraseshaper; a shaper unit for automatic written translation of the oralspeech being synthesized, said unit being connected to the phrase shaperand to the pause shaper. The machine enables students to adapt to theirpersonal peculiarities in a versatile manner the form, content anddegree of difficulty of the oral exercises being performed.

12 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures mimmnnm m2 SHEET 3 [IF 7 W/ /A v MACHINEFOR TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGES This invention relates to machines forteaching foreign languages. At present, a number of major technicaldifiiculties hinder the cardinaladvance of the process of teachingforeign languages, the difficulties being mainly caused by the followingcontradiction: on the one hand, a more flexible individualization of theaudio-visual information given to students is needed, and on the otherhand, in order to cut the expenditures on audio-visual machines certaindevices are required capable of giving audio-visual informationsimultaneously to a greater number of students. At present, these tworequirements are incompatible with each other. And more so, since thefirst of these, by itself, gives rise to a contradictory problem,namely, in order not to limit the individual strategy of teaching thecapacity of the memory of the audio-visual machine should ideallystrive-for infinity, whereas the time of selection from the memory ofany audio-visual frames stored in it head; besides, due to the provisionof a gear train, the

carrier of the graphic illustrations is automatically 5 moved againstthe screen for a corresponding number offrames.

Such devices enable an arbitrary sequence of the frame selection andinvolve no keyboard manipulations by the students for a multiplerelistening to the sound 40 accompaniment of the selected frame.However, the replaceable stock of frames therein is restricted to thenumber of tracks in a tapeloop, i.e., is not in excess of -20 frames,which fact practically hampers the possibility of teaching by branchingprograms.

Furthermore, inasmuch as every frame selection involves shifting of themagnetic head, such a machine fails to simultaneously service a numberof students that learn the material being taught at different rates.

There are likewise known machines for teaching foreign languagescomprising a multichannel magnetic sound recorder with a tape loop, saidrecorder being adapted to communicate with a few individual studentsterminals. Such machines incorporate a 28- channel magneloop recorderand 16 individual students terminals. 12 tracks of the magneloop carryrespectively 12 pre-recorded master messages, while the other 16 tracksare used for an automatic recording and automatic reproduction of thespeech of each of sixteen students. A students terminal comprises a 60microphone, an acoustic output unit and a twelve-point switch which isinstrumental in connecting the acoustic output unit to any of the twelvechannels of said recorder. In virtue of the magnetic tape being acontinuous (endless) loop, each mentioned master message is continuouslyrecycled in every twelve channels mentioned above. In such a device thechangeable 5 audio frame, which adversely affects the efficacy of theteaching process. Another essential disadvantage of the afore-describeddevice resides in the fact that the number of students serviced therebycannot be in excess of the number of channels allotted in the taperecorder for recording and playing back the students responses.

Some linguaphone systems are also known, wherein the number of thesimultaneously serviced individual desks exceeds that of the channelsavailable in a magnetic tape recorder for recording and reproducing thestudents speech. A disadvantage inherent in such systems lies with thatan automatic distribution of said channels between the students iseffected by means of a 20 clockwork, without taking into account thekind of learning task which is being performed by some student orother..

Some machines for teaching foreign languages are known to function bythe method of automatic synthesis of oral speech at the outputs of amultichannel tapeloop sound recorder (USSR Authors Certificate No.195725). According to said method fragments of speech are recorded on amagnetic tape in such a manner that each intonationally completefragment of a phrase be continuously and cyclically iterated at arespective recorder output with practically zero pauses. The outputs ofthe recorder are connected to a switchboard, which makes it possible foreach of the students to be serviced simultaneously, to compile(independently of the other students) from fragments some message unitor the other which has not preliminarily been recorded on the magnetictape. However, such machines fail to ensure a fully automated synthesisof the assigned phrases without having recourse to an all-purposecomputer or any specialpurpose control computing machine, with theresult that the system becomes relatively bulky and expensive. Anotherdisadvantage of the abovesaid method consists in that it fails to avoidthe synthesis of meaningless phrases which results in a complicatedcontrol program of the process of synthesis. Furthermore, such machinesare intrinsically incompatible with the existing methods of sound-imagesynchronization, this being due to the fact that in an automaticsynthesis of oral messages the waiting time is equal to ahnost zero anddoes not depend upon the storage capacity of the corresponding memoryunit, whereas in the abovementioned devices for a visual display orexposure of graphic illustrations (pictures) the access time is indirect proportionality with the storage capacity.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine forteaching foreign languages whose storage capacity would amount tothousands of audio-visual frames with random access to each of them byany of the simultaneously serviced students at an average waiting timeof l-2 see.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a machine ofthe character set forth hereinabove which would enable students to adaptin a versatile manner to their personal features the form, content andFIG. 1 represents a block-diagram of a machine for teaching foreignlanguages, according to the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a block-diagram of a students terminal, according tothe invention;

FIG. 3 shows a block-diagram of phraseand pauseshapers, according to theinvention;

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 represent an embodiment of a shaper unit of thewritten translations of the oral speech being synthetized, according tothe present in-, vention;

FIG. 6 shows a block-diagram of a group of the stu-v dents terminals,according to the invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of the panel of a terminal, accordingto the invention;

FIG. 8 shows one of the embodiments of the method of communication ofthe master magnetic sound recorder with the terminals, according to theinvention;

FIG. 9 represents one of the embodiments of the method of connection ofa pause shaper to a phrase shaper, according to the invention;

FIG. 10 is an embodiment of disks in the automatic written-translationshaper unit, according to the invention;

FIG. 1 1 shows a section of the slitted film strip; and

FIG. 12 a, b, c, d, e illustrates sections of disks with visualinformation fragments to be displayed.

Now referring to the drawings, the device for teaching foreign languagescomprises a master rnultichannel magnetic sound recorder 1 with amagnetic tape loop which carries pre-recorded speech and controlsignals, an auxiliary multi-channel magnetic sound recorder 2 with amagnetic tape loop for automatic recording and automatic reproduction ofthe students speech, and students terminals 3.

The students terminals 3 are connected inparallel to two groups of theacoustic channels of the magnetic sound recorder 1 through communicationlines 4 and 5, to the outputs of a decoder 6 connected with the magneticsound recorder 1 through a register 7, to the outputs of a decoder 8connected to the magnetic sound recorder 1 through a register 9, and tothe outputs of an amplifier unit 10 connected to a power supply unit 11of the signal lamps and to a group of the channels of the magnetic soundrecorder 1. Each of the groups of the channels of the magnetic soundrecorder 1 comprises S channels. The decoders 6 and 8 incorporate each"0 outputs. The unit 10 is connected to S channels of the magnetic soundrecorder and has S outputs.

The terminals 3 are associated into groups by electric circuits 12, eachof such groups incorporating M terminals and being connected through thecircuits 12 to a respective group of channels of the magnetic soundrecorder 2, said group of channels containing N to a regulator 17 of theaccessibility of the channels of the auxiliary recorder 2. The acousticoutput unit 16, the regulator 17 of the auxiliary recorder accessibilityand a microphone 18 are all connected to the circuits 12.

The outputs of the decoders 6 and 8 are connected to a pause shaper 19which is associated with the phrase shapers 13 and 14, with theregulator 17, with a converter unit 20 for transforming the rhythm ofthe speech being synthetized into a form suitable for being observedvisually, said converter unit being connected to a signal lamp 21, andwith a unit 22 for automatic shaping the written translations of theoral speech being synthetized, said unit being connected also to thephrase shapers 13 and 14 and to the selector unit 15.

The phrase shapers 13 and 14 and the unit 20 comprise each a number ofmultiple switches. For the sake of concreteness and definiteness, inFIG. 3 there are assumed: Q 4 and S= 3, where Q denotes the number ofS-point switches. Each of the switches 23-26 of the phrase shaper has Sinputs and is connected in parallel with S channels of one of the groupsof channels of the magnetic sound recorder 1 through the communicationline 4. Each of the switches 27-36 of the converter unit for visualizingthe rhythm of the speech being synthetized, has likewise S inputs and isconnected in parallel to S output channels of the unit 16. Each of theswitches 31-34 of the other phrase shaper has likewise S inputs and isconnected in parallel with S channels of the other group of channels ofthe magnetic sound recorder 1.

The switches 23-34 are banked into 0 groups each incorporating threeswitches. One of said groups is made up, say, by the switches 23, 27 and31. Constructionally, each of said groups of switches is made as a waferswitch having three wafer plates. Each pair of wafer switches 35 and 36(FIG. 4) is driven from a common shaft 39 through two ratchet mechanisms37 and 38 adapted to operate when rotated in opposite directions, saidshaft 39 passing through the lid 40 of the terminal 3 and being providedwith a frame selector handle 41. The ratchet mechanisms 37 and 38 areassociated with respective drive pulleys 42 and 43 to each of whichthere corresponds in the written-translations shaper unit 22 a certaindriven pulley 44 (FIG. 5) set on one of coaxial bushings 45 fixed inposition on a common shaft by means of attachments 46 and provided withstepwise arranged holders 47 for changeable graphic information carriersmade as transparent disks.

The pause shaper 19 (FIG. 2) is made as two mechanically interlinkedmultiple switches 48 and 49 (FIG. 3) which actuate cam interruptors 50(FIG. 3) and 51 (FIG. 6). The inputs of the switch 48 (FIG. 3) areconnected to the output channels of the decoder 6 while the switches 49are coupled to the output channels of the decoder 8. The switches 48 and49 are made so that when in any of their positions they connect with therespective output channels of the decoders 6 and 8 a definitecombination of relays 52-59 provided at the outputs of the switches23-26 and 31-34. At the output of the switches 27-30 there are providedinterruptors -63 made as another pair of contacts of the relays 52-55and coupled to the indicator lamp 21.

The shaft of the selector unit 15 transmits motion to one of the holders47 for changeable graphic information carriers and to cam interruptors64 and 65 (FIGS. 3, 5 and 6). A toggle switch 66 is connected inparallel with the cam interruptor 64 (FIG. 3), the latter beingconnected to the output circuit of the phrase shaper in parallel withthe cam interruptor 56.

3 ,703 ,602 w ill TABLE 1 lnthe course of a continuous uniform movementof 3 the tape loop a corresponding German phrase or dialog is beinguninterruptedly recycled in each of the three channels of the firstgroup of channels of the magnetic 5 sound recorder 1, whereas arespective Russian text is being continuously recycled in each of thethree chant-r" E nels of the second group of channels. in each of theterminals 3 the German text is continuously and cyclically arriving atthe inputs of the phrase shaper 13, while the Russian text, at theinputs of the phrase shaper 14. At the first of the three inputs of eachof the three-point switches 3144 there is continuously and cyclicallyarriving the Russian'sentence: if you have not had translated theletters that had been received on Monday, You must make haste. At thesame time arriving at the second input of each of said switches is thedialog: Have they not yet translated the reports that will be sent onTuesday? No, they have not, and at the third input of each of saidswitches there is arriving the dialog: lies she not yet read the papersthat will be discussed on Friday? Yes, she has. The corresponding Germansentences and dialogs are arriving at the same time at the respectiveinputs of each of the three-point switches 23-2d The codes of thecontrol signals recorded on the first track, are delivered from thedecoder 6 in each of the students terminals 3 to the inputs of themultiple switch 48 of the pause shaper which switch, depending on theposition assumed by it, can cancel some of the control signals and leaveopen the contacts of the corresponding interruptors 52-55 in theterminal involved. In response to the command I the normally opencontacts 52 close, in response to the command ll the} normally opencontacts $3 do so, in response to the command Ill the normally opencontacts 54, do so and in response to the command IV the normally opencontacts 55 do so, all this being the case should the commands l-IV passthrough the switch 4 8. Assume the pause she per switch 48 to be in zeroposition, where it does not block any of the decoder output channels,and the selector unit E5 to be in such a position where it connects thestudents headphones 16 with the output of the phrase shaper 13, Le, tothe common output of the switches 23-26.

When all the five switches of the phrase shaper involved are set to thefirst position it is the phrase recorded on the second track that willbe cyclically delivered to the students headphones. When all theswitches are set to the second position this results in that the dialogrecorded on the third track will be cyclically delivered to the studentsheadphones. With said switches set in the third position, the phraserecorded on the fourth track will be cyclically delivered to the.-lstudents headphones. Should, however, the position H assumed bysolely one switch differ from the positions -"E- assumed by the otherswitches, this results in that cyclically delivered to the studentsheadphones will be a phrase or dialog not stored on the tapeloop. Forexample, with the switch 23 in the third position, the switch 24 in thefirst position, the switch 25 in the third position, the switch 26 inthe second position, and the fifth switch (not shown in the drawing) inthe second position, the following dialog will be cyclically deliveredto the headphones of a student working with the terminal involved: HATSlE DlE AM FRElTAG ABZUSEN- DENDEN BRIEFE NOCl-l NlCHT GELESEN? NElN.

rrnemua ironnannr fiyiuarn Bu ne o'rnann nepenonn'rr 01m enre H8nepenena One. eme He rrpo'm'rana.

dann mufi man sich beeilen Nem Doch

nicht iibersetzen lassen noch nicht iiber setzt noch nicht gelesen EcnrrBriefe Vortriigo P plate To nyarcno TOPOIIKTBGH He'r (B OMLIOJIG Bunpaem). He'r (B OMHCJ'IG omn6ae'recr,).

abzusendonden I a 211 besprechenden l eingelaufenen n nonenenhnun i noBTOPHHK B rm'rnnny am Montag am Dienstag am Freitag The phrase shaper,comprising Q S-point switches is capable of shaping I S phrases ordialogs. In the simplified example considered herein there are assumedS=3, Q=5, whence I 3" 243 for the given particular case.

The commands recorded on the fifth track are passed through the decoder8 in each of the students terminals 3 to arrive at the inputs of thepause shaper switch 49 and from its outputs, at the respectiveinterruptors 56-59 of the second phrase shaper. Inasmuch as the switches23 and 31, 24 and 32, and so on, are pairwise interconnected through arigid mechanical linkage, the switches within each-of said pairs mayassume but the same position. Hence, whichever of the 3 243 Germanphrases and dialogs is synthesized by the first phrase shaper the secondphrase shaper of the terminal is at the same time to synthesize thetranslation of that phrase into Russian.

In order to pass from one language to the other (e.g., when performing aretranslation exercise) it will suffice for the student to merely turnthe knob 82 of the selector unit (FIG. 7) through one position.

To partially change the content of the text it will suffice for thestudent to merely turn even through one step one of the frame selectorknobs 41. If turned clockwise, said knob changes the position of theswitches 24 and 32 with the immediate result that the content of thevisual frame displayed on the screen 84 gets changed accordingly. At thestudents will the appearance of a'picture may be retarded by turning outthe toggle switch 85 of the screen illumination lamp.

A synchronous formation of the graphic illustrations of theautomatically synthesized oral speech, in particular, an automaticshaping of its written translations, is effected due to the fact thatthe handles 41 actuate not only the switches 23-26 and 31-34 (FIG. 3) ofthe phrase shapers, but at the same time the coaxial bushings 45 (FIG.5) carrying the holders 47 for the graphic information changeablecarriers made as transparent disks 109 (FIG. 10). In theherein-considered particular example there are needed five disks for anautomatic shaping of the written translations of the Russian speech intoGerman. Each of said disks is divided into three sectors 120 each,wherein rectangles 106-108 are singled out, each of said rectanglescorresponding in projection to the screen 84. The arrangement diagram ofthe graphic information in said rectangles are represented in FIG. 12.The vacant portions of the rectangles are left transparent. Therectangles 106-108 illustrated in FIG. 12a, are arranged in therespective sectors of the disk that is turnable at 120 round therespective bushing 45 (FIG. 5) when the switches 23 and 31 (FIG. 3) areturned through one step. The rectangles 106-108 shown in FIG. 12b, arearranged in the corresponding sectors of the disk whose position dependsupon the position assumed by the switches 24 and 32. The rectangles106-108 represented in FIG. 12c, are arranged in the correspondingsectors of the disk whose position is determined by the position of theswitches 25 and 33. The rectangles 106-108 appearing in FIG. 12d, arearranged in the respective sectors of the disk whose position dependsupon the position of the switches 26 and 34. The rectangles 106-108shown in FIG. 12e, are arranged in the respective sectors of the diskwhose position is determined by the not represented in FIG. 3 fifthswitches of the phrase shapers. For each fixed position of the bushings45 (FIG. 5) the rectangles 106-108 (FIG. 10) of the bottom disk 109serve as a background for the rectangles 106-108 of all the superjacentdisks 109. An image is formed by superposing on the screen all the fiverectangles occurring against the screen at a time (one rectangle fromeach disk). The disks are engaged by the holders 47 of the bushings 45in such a way that the rectangle 1060f the disk driven by the shaft ofthe switches 23 and 31, occurs to be against the screen at the momentwhen said switches assume their first position; that the rectangle 106of the disk driven by the shaft of the switches 24 and 32 occurs to beagainst the screen when said switches assume their first position, andso on.

When synthesizing, say, the oral text (in Russian): Has she not yet readthe reports that had been received on Monday? Yes, she has, there occurbeneath the screen at a time: the rectangle 108 of FIG. 12a, therectangle 107 of FIG. 1212, the rectangle 106 of FIG. 120, the rectangle106 of FIG. 12d and the rectangle 108 of FIG. 12e with the result thatthere appears on the screen the text: HAT SIE DIE AM MONTAGEINGELAUFENEN VORTRAGE NOCH NICI-IT GELESEN?," DOCH." Having turned thehandle of the selector unit 15 through one step the student hears inhis/her headphones the above dialog in German instead of the originaldialog in the mother tongue.

If during the execution of audition exercises (audio recognition) one orthe other of the 243 German phrases or dialogs renders to be difficultto translate by the student, he/she may utilize the pause shaper controlhandle 87. In each of its positions except for the zero one, the pauseshaper cancels from the phrase or dialog being synthesized, a definitecombination of the fragments thereof, thereby simplifying the structureand rate of speech.

For instance, with the pause shaper (i.e., the switches 48 and 49 FIG.3) set to a position where it will block the commands III, IV and V(refer to Table 1), the student will hear instead of the above-stateddialog the following: HAT SIE DIE (a pause) VORTRAGE NOCH NICHT GELESEN,that is, the phrase whose structure is simplified at the expense ofcancellation of the minor parts thereof. Having turned the selector unit15 through a step, the student hears an oral translation of just theabovementioned simplified version of the dialog and, having turned onthe screen illumination toggle switch 85, the student sees a writtentranslation of the same simplified version of the dialog.

Simplification of the structure of a graphic frame is attained due tothe fact that to each of the positions of the pause shaper controlhandle 87 (FIG. 7) there corresponds a definite frame of the film strip90. In each of the frames of said frame slits 110 (FIG. 11) are soarranged as to display information, stored only on those disks thatcorrespond to the control signals passed through the pause shaper. Forinstance, when the pause shaper is in a position, wherein the commandsI" and V are blocked (see Table 1), the slit 110 (FIG. 11) in arespective frame of the film strip is made so as it is shown in FIG. 11.In that case the rectangles of the disks that are shown in FIG. 12a, arenot displayed, i.e., with the above-stated dialog selected, there willbe displayed on the screen only: DIE AM MONTAG EIN- GELAUFENENVORTRAGE,. and there will be heard in the students headphones (dependingupon the position of the language selector unit) either theabovementioned German text cyclically repeated with some pauses, or thesame text in Russian likewise cyclically repeated with some pauses.

Upon arrival of control signals recorded on the ninth, tenth andeleventh tracks of the tapeloop of the magnetic sound recorder 1, thereoperate in the amplifier unit the interruptors of the respective threepower supply circuits of the indicator lamp 21 provided in each of thestudents terminals 3. Control signals for said lamps are so recorded onthe tape, that current pulsation in the circuit controlled by thesignals recorded on the ninth track, synchronously represents the'rhythmof a phrase recorded on the second track, current pulsation in thecircuit controlled by the signals recorded on the tenth track,synchronously represents the rhythm of a phrase recorded on the thirdtrack, and current pulsation in the circuit controlled by the signalsrecorded on the eleventh track, synchronously represents the rhythm of aphrase recorded on the fourth track.

have set the pause shaper to the position, wherein there areblocked allthe commands except for the command Ill which controls the interruptors54 and 58, and to have set the wafer switch comprising the switches 25and 33, to the first position. inasmuch as the switch 29 is made as oneof the wafer plates of said wafer switch, the interruptor 62 getscommunicated with that power supply circuit of the lamp 21 which iscontrolled by the signals recorded on the ninth magneloop track. As saidinterruptor is made as the second pair of contacts of the interruptor54, it closes the power supply circuit of the lamp 21 only for a lapseof time during which the acoustic output unit 16 is delivering the wordcombination AM MONTAG. To represent the rhythm of said word combinationthe lamp 21 first gives a shorter flash followed by a longer one. Sincewith the given position of the pause shaper all the remainderinterruptors 60, 61 and 63 are inoperative, the lamp 21 during thepauses will be inoperative accordingly.

I Now assume that during the pauses between the cyclically repeated wordcombination AM MON- TA the student repeats this speech fragment aloudand wants to compare his/her own pronunciation with that of the Germanspeaker. For this it will suffice to actuate one of the illuminated keys83 (FIG. 7). Suppose the student has actuated the key of the firstrecording and reproducing channel of the auxiliary magnetic soundrecorder, that is the key with the contacts 67, 68 and 69 (FIG. 6). Bymaking the contact 67 will connect the acoustic output unit 16 and themicrophone 18 of the given desk with the first channel for the recordingand reproduction of the students speech. The contact 68 will interruptthe power supply circuit of all the lamps 71, that is, the first keywill be y no longer illuminated on all the terminals of the given group.The contacts 69 will cause operation of the unit 70 in the remainingterminals of the given group, so that the same key in these terminalswill be not only no longer illuminated but also mechanically blocked.

Should the student wish to record and reproduce his/her own speech whilehe/she listens to a fragment of speech in his/her mother tongue comingfrom the master magnetic sound recorder to his/her headphones 16, such astudent will be not able to spend his/her instructional time souselessly, since the selector unit 15,

' when in a position corresponding to the mother tongue,

with the help of the cam interruptors 65 and 79-81 blocks all the keysof the given desk. On the other hand, should the student wish to recordand reproduce his/her own speech in such cases when to his/herheadphones there comes a phrase which has not been simplified by thepause shaper (and therefore of little use for elementary pronunciationdrill), the possibility that at least one of the keys 83 will beilluminated on his/her desk will prove to be considerably smaller thanin those cases when he/she makes use of the pause shaper, since, withthe pause shaper in the zero position, the cam interruptors 51 and 82,adapted to block half of the keys in the terminal, operate. Whennecessary, the teacher can block a portion of the interruptors 65,79-81.

In a number of cases it is more reasonable to record on the fifth, sixthand seventh tracks of the magnetic tape of the magnetic sound recorder 1not translations into the mother tongue, but, say, the same phrases anddialogs, as recorded on the second, third and fourth tracks, but at adictation speed. in this case the selector unit 15 will function as aselector of the speech speed.

In certain cases the selector unit 15 is reasonable to be used forselecting a portion of the graphic illustrations. In these cases on thatof the holders 47 (FIG. 5) which is driven by the shaft of the selectorunit 15, a non-transparent disk is placed provided with appropriatelyshaped slits.

The automatic shaper of written translations can also be used to shapepictures illustrating the oral text being synthesized.

In some cases the fifth, sixth and seventh tracks of the magnetic tapeare expedient to be used for storing the same text as on the second,third and fourth tracks but with a few seconds delay and spoken byanother speaker (e.g., a male voice on the second, third and fourthtracks, and the same text spoken in a female voice and with a fewseconds delay performance, on the fifth, sixth and seventh tracks). Ifthe pause shaper is set to a position such that it passes not more thana half of the commands, and the selector unit 15 is set to a position inwhich it associates with the acoustic output unit 16 both phrase shapers13 and 14 simultaneously, each word combination selected by the studentwill be cyclically repeated in his/her headphones twice as often in thefemale and male voice. The cam interruptor 50 breaks the output circuitof the second phrase shaper in those positions of the pause shaper, inwhich the concurrent listening to the both speakers is impossible (thatis, when the pauses are too short). If the selector unit is in aposition in which it associates with the acoustic output unit 16 theboth phrase shapers simultaneously the contacts of the cam interruptor64 break. When the abovedescribed mode is not required, when the programis to be changed, that is, when the magnetic tape in the magnetic soundrecorder and graphic information carriers in the students terminals arereplaced, the interruptor 64 is shunted with the help of the toggleswitch 66.

The replaceable stock of audio-visual frames (without taking intoaccount numerous modifications of each particular frame with the help ofthe pause shaper and the selector unit in the above considered examplecomprised only 243 items. However, should use be made of, say, a trackmagnetic tape instead of an eleven-track one S=6, the number of thewafer switches being increased by at least three as it is envisaged inFIG. 7, wherein two pairs of the wafer switch control handles 41 areindicated, the replaceable stock of frames will number millions ofitems, while the access time for any of these frames from any of theconcurrently operating terminals will not be increased, amounting to afew seconds. The stock of audio-visual frames can be replaced within afew minutes.

With a sufficiently great number of terminals the cost of theherein-disclosed installation per individual student will practicallyequal that of one terminal. These terminals are less expensive than thepresently employed individual magnetic sound recorders, the pedagogicalpossibilities offered by the terminals of the invention beingincomparably wider.

Note should be made of the fact that the form of embodiment of theinvention described above and shown in the drawings is one of possiblevariants of the invention. Members described hereinabove can be replacedby equivalent ones solving identical problems. For instance, the abovementioned terrn screen covers such equivalents of the screen as theaperture in the control desk lid for exposing information by way ofbrightening (without employing a projector), the above aperture incombination with a concave mirror or lens etc. Furtheron, mentionedabove in the disclosure and referred to below in the claims the phrasechangeable non-transparent slitted film strip driven by the pause shapercovers as equivalents a film strip actuated from the spindle of therotary switch or a number of films overlapping one another and actuatedwhen the position of respective keys are changed, etc. Analogously, arelay serves an equivalent of the breaker controlled by a cam providedon the shaft of the pause shaper. Respective contacts of the keys ofpause shapers etc. are connected in parallel to the winding of saidrelay. While the term an auxiliary multichannel magnetic sound recorderwith a magnetic tape look for recording and reproducing the studentsspeech covers, in particular, the tape recorders in which three magneticheads are arranged in close proximity to each other along each track ofthe tape loop, the first of these heads continuously operates forreproduction, the second continuously demagnetizes and the third headcontinuously records, and each of the heads for reproduction andrecording can, via a respective amplifier and cyclic switch be actuatedat the beginning of each turn of the magnetic tape, and commutate withthe pair of output terminals.

What is claimed is:

l. A machine for teaching foreign languages, comprising: a mastermultichannel magnetic sound recorder with a magnetic tape loop whichstores prerecorded fragments of speech and control signals; studentsterminals adapted to be connected to the channels of said sound recorderto synthesize various phrases from the pre-recorded fragments of speech;a phrase shaper in each of the aforesaid terminals, comprising multipleswitches; a pause shaper in each of the abovesaid terminals tosubstitute pauses for various combinations of the fragments of a phrase,said pause shaper being connected to said phrase shaper; an acousticoutput unit provided in each of the abovementioned terminals forlistening to the automatically synthesized oral speech.

2. A machine as claimed in claim I, wherein each of the above-saidterminals comprises a unit for automatic shaping of written translationof the speech being synthesized, said unit being connected to said pauseshaper and said phrase shaper.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the abovementionedterminals has a number of phrase shapers connected to one another, and aselector unit of said phrase shapers connected to said unit for shapingwritten translations.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 3, comprising multiple switches of saidpause shaper in a quantity to correspond to the number of the phraseshapers, each of said switches being connected to the respective saidphrase shaper and being mechanically linked to each other; a caminterruptor of said switches of the pause shaper, said cam interrupterbeing connected to the output of any of the aforesaid phrase shapers;another cam interrupter interconnected with said selector unit andcoupled in parallel with the output of the same abovesaid phrase shaper,whereto the aforementioned former cam interrupter is connected, saidselector unit being made as a multiple switch capable of communicatingwith said acoustic output unit two of the abovementioned phrase shapersat a time.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the unit for shaping writtentranslations of the oral speech being synthesized, comprises achangeable non-transparent slitted film strip driven by said pauseshaper; coaxial bushings driven by the shafts of said switches of thephrase shaper and of the selector unit; attachments arranged stepwise onsaid coaxial bushings; changeable transparent carriers of graphicinformation locked in position through the use of said attachmentsprovided on said coaxial bushings.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the above saidterminals incorporates a converter unit for visualizing the rhythm ofthe speech being synthesized, said converter unit being coupled to saidpause shaper, to said phrase shaper and to the signal lamp of theterminal involved, the rate of operation of said signal lampcorresponding to the rhythm of the speech being synthetized, said lampbeing controlled by the abovesaid control signals stored on the tape ofsaid master magnetic sound recorder.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein said converter forvisualizing the rhythm of the speech being synthetized, comprisesmultiple switches adapted to connect power supply to said signal lampand coupled to said switches of the phrase shaper, and interruptersconnected to said interrupters of the phrase shaper and adapted toconnect to said signal lamp said switches of said converter.

8. A machine for teaching foreign languages, comprising: a mastermultichannel magnetic sound recorder with a magnetic tape loop whichstores prerecorded fragments of speech and control signals; an auxiliarymultichannel magnetic sound recorder with a magnetic tape loop forrecording and automatic reproduction of the students speech; studentsterminals adapted to be connected to the channels of said master soundrecorder to synthesize various phrases from the pre-recorded fragmentsof speech; keys, whereby said terminals get communicated with saidauxiliary multichannel magnetic sound recorder; mechanical blockingdevices of each of the aforementioned keys; signal lamps each of whichis coupled to the respective abovesaid key; a phrase shaper in each ofthe abovesaid terminals, comprising multiple switches; a pause shaper ineach of the abovesaid terminals to substitute for pauses variouscombinations of the fragments of a phrase, said pause shaper beingcoupled to said phrase shaper; a regulator of accessibility of theauxiliary multichannel magnetic sound recorder, saidx regulator beingprovided in each of the aforesaid terminals and being connected to saidpause shaper; an acoustic output unit provided in each of theabovementioned terminals for audition of the automatically synthetizedphrases and the students speech.

9. A machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said pause shaper is made asa multiple switch capable of blocking various combinations of saidcontrol signals from said master magnetic sound recorder and utilizableto control said phrase shaper.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein said phrase shapercomprises interrupters which are adapted to communicate with saidacoustic output unit said multiple switches of the phrase shaper, saidswitches being connected in parallel with the channels of said mastermagnetic sound recorder that carry the pre-recorded fragments of speech.

11. A machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein said pause shapercomprises a multiple switch to communicate said acoustic output unitwith said switches of the phrase shaper, the channels of said mastermagnetic sound recorder which carry the speech, being all at oncecommunicated with one of the said switches of the phrase shaper inresponse to a control signal from said master magnetic sound recorder.

12. A machine, as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of the studentsterminals is adapted to communicate with N" recording and reproducingchannels of said auxiliary magnetic sound recorder, and each of saidchannels is adapted to be connected to M" other studen erm na s t 929 agroup of terminalsv when: M N and within which the supply circuit ofsaid mechanical blocking device of a key and the supply circuit of saidkey-light signal lamp of the same key of one of the terminals arecontrolled by said keys corresponding to the given particular channel,from the other terminals, whereas said regulator of the said channelsaccessibility comprises interrupters adapted to connect said key-lightlamps and said mechanical blocking devices in parallel with theirrespective power supply circuits, and cams which are adapted to controlsaid interrupters, said cams being set on the shaft of said pause shaperand on the shaft of said selector unit of the terminal involved.

United States Paten Levesoue et a1.

RUB-ON SUB-ELEMENT FOR ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT BOARD Inventors: Norman R.Levesoue; Donald E.

Harper, both of Inglewood, Calif.

Assignee: Circuit-Stilt, Inc., Gardena, Calif.

Filed: May 10, 1971 Appl. N0.: 141,655

US. Cl. ..l74/68.5, 29/625, 117/227, 156/249, 317/101 B Int. Cl. ..H05k1/02, H05k 3/20 Field of Search ..l74/68.5, 117 A, 227; 317/101 B, 101C, 101 CM; 29/625, 626; 156/249; 161/185 References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS Giellerup ..174/l 11A 1451 Nov. 21, 1972 3,538,389 11/1970Levesque et al......174/68.5 X

Primary Examiner-Dartell L. Clay Attorney-Jessup & Beecher [57] IABSTRACT 4 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures (arr/e r -50- 14

1. A machine for teaching foreign languages, comprising: a mastermultichannel magnetic sound recorder with a magnetic tape loop whichstores pre-recorded fragments of speech and control signals; students''terminals adapted to be connected to the channels of said sound recorderto synthesize various phrases from the pre-recorded fragments of speech;a phrase shaper in each of the aforesaid terminals, comprising multipleswitches; a pause shaper in each of the abovesaid terminals tosubstitute pauses for various combinations of the fragments of a phrase,said pause shaper being connected to said phrase shaper; an acousticoutput unit provided in each of the above-mentioned terminals forlistening to the automatically synthesized oral speech.
 1. A machine forteaching foreign languages, comprising: a master multichannel magneticsound recorder with a magnetic tape loop which stores pre-recordedfragments of speech and control signals; students'' terminals adapted tobe connected to the channels of said sound recorder to synthesizevarious phrases from the pre-recorded fragments of speech; a phraseshaper in each of the aforesaid terminals, comprising multiple switches;a pause shaper in each of the abovesaid terminals to substitute pausesfor various combinations of the fragments of a phrase, said pause shaperbeing connected to said phrase shaper; an acoustic output unit providedin each of the above-mentioned terminals for listening to theautomatically synthesized oral speech.
 2. A machine as claimed in claimI, wherein each of the above-said terminals comprises a unit forautomatic shaping of written translation of the speech beingsynthesized, said unit being connected to said pause shaper and saidphrase shaper.
 3. A machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of theabovementioned terminals has a number of phrase shapers connected to oneanother, and a selector unit of said phrase shapers connected to saidunit for shaping written translations.
 4. A machine as claimed in claim3, comprising multiple switches of said pause shaper in a quantity tocorrespond to the number of the phrase shapers, each of said switchesbeing connected to the respective said phrase shaper and beingmechanically linked to each other; a cam interruptor of said switches ofthe pause shaper, said cam interrupter being connected to the output ofany of the aforesaid phrase shapers; another cam interrupterinterconnected with said selector unit and coupled in parallel with theoutput of the same abovesaid phrase shaper, whereto the aforementionedformer cam interrupter is connected, said selector unit being made as amultiple switch capable of communicating with said acoustic output unittwo of the abovementioned phrase shapers at a time.
 5. A machine asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the unit for shaping written translations ofthe oral speech being synthesized, comprises a changeablenon-transparent slitted film strip driven by said pause shaper; coaxialbushings driven by the shafts of said switches of the phrase shaper andof the selector unit; attachments arranged stepwise on said coaxialbushings; changeable transparent carriers of graphic information lockedin position through the use of said attachments provided on said coaxialbushings.
 6. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the abovesaid terminals incorporates a converter unit for visualizing the rhythmof the speech being synthesized, said converter unit being coupled tosaid pause shaper, to said phrase shaper and to the signal lamp of theterminal involved, the rate of operation of said signal lampcorresponding to the rhythm Of the speech being synthetized, said lampbeing controlled by the abovesaid control signals stored on the tape ofsaid master magnetic sound recorder.
 7. A machine as claimed in claim 6,wherein said converter for visualizing the rhythm of the speech beingsynthetized, comprises multiple switches adapted to connect power supplyto said signal lamp and coupled to said switches of the phrase shaper,and interrupters connected to said interrupters of the phrase shaper andadapted to connect to said signal lamp said switches of said converter.8. A machine for teaching foreign languages, comprising: a mastermultichannel magnetic sound recorder with a magnetic tape loop whichstores pre-recorded fragments of speech and control signals; anauxiliary multichannel magnetic sound recorder with a magnetic tape loopfor recording and automatic reproduction of the students'' speech;students'' terminals adapted to be connected to the channels of saidmaster sound recorder to synthesize various phrases from thepre-recorded fragments of speech; keys, whereby said terminals getcommunicated with said auxiliary multichannel magnetic sound recorder;mechanical blocking devices of each of the aforementioned keys; signallamps each of which is coupled to the respective abovesaid key; a phraseshaper in each of the abovesaid terminals, comprising multiple switches;a pause shaper in each of the abovesaid terminals to substitute forpauses various combinations of the fragments of a phrase, said pauseshaper being coupled to said phrase shaper; a regulator of accessibilityof the auxiliary multichannel magnetic sound recorder, said regulatorbeing provided in each of the aforesaid terminals and being connected tosaid pause shaper; an acoustic output unit provided in each of theabovementioned terminals for audition of the automatically synthetizedphrases and the students'' speech.
 9. A machine as claimed in claim 3,wherein said pause shaper is made as a multiple switch capable ofblocking various combinations of said control signals from said mastermagnetic sound recorder and utilizable to control said phrase shaper.10. A machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein said phrase shapercomprises interrupters which are adapted to communicate with saidacoustic output unit said multiple switches of the phrase shaper, saidswitches being connected in parallel with the channels of said mastermagnetic sound recorder that carry the pre-recorded fragments of speech.11. A machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein said pause shapercomprises a multiple switch to communicate said acoustic output unitwith said switches of the phrase shaper, the channels of said mastermagnetic sound recorder which carry the speech, being all at oncecommunicated with one of the said switches of the phrase shaper inresponse to a control signal from said master magnetic sound recorder.